This invention relates to cargo bed liners, and, in particular, to the provision of a fastener enclosure for use with a cargo bed liner providing access to tie-down fasteners affixed to the cargo bed.
Many cargo beds, such as truck beds, carts and trailers, are equipped with tie-down fasteners (clamps, cleats, hooks, eye-bolts, etc.) for use in securing items within the cargo bed. These tie-down fasteners may be an integral part of the cargo bed or may be factory installed. Optionally, the consumer may install tie-down fasteners directly onto the cargo bed. For example, the tie-down assemblies of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,648,765 and 5,052,869 may be installed onto a wall of the cargo bed. The tie-down fasteners of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,421,726 and 4,915,556 may be installed in the cargo bed's stake pocket (a recess usually formed in the top of the cargo bed's side walls for insertion of a stake or post therein).
In many instances, it is desired by the consumer to protect the cargo bed by installing a protective liner. Many types of liners are commercially available for covering various surfaces of the cargo bed and may be comprised of plastic, wood, vinyl or other materials. By covering the bottom surface, side walls, end walls, and tailgate (where applicable) of the liner, items transported in the cargo bed are less likely to damage the cargo bed. Further, the liners protect the cargo bed from environmental elements, such as moisture damage.
A problem occurs, however, should the consumer desire to protect the cargo bed with such a liner and also wish to use the tie-down fasteners attached to the cargo bed for securing cargo therein. Because the fasteners connected to the cargo bed become covered by the liner when the liner is installed, the fasteners are rendered inaccessible. Thus, to provide access to the tie-down fasteners, consumers and manufacturers have been known to cut large holes into the liner near the fasteners. Not only are these holes unsightly, they also allow water, dirt and other contaminants to become disposed between the cargo bed and the liner. Such an infusion of water or contaminants may result in damage to the cargo bed by moisture or by chemical reactions with the cargo bed, thereby defeating one of the very purposes for which the liner was installed. It is also difficult for the consumer to reach through the hole cut in the liner to access the fastener. It is therefore desired to provide an aesthetically pleasing attachment for use with a cargo bed liner providing easy access to tie-down fasteners connected to the cargo bed, and limiting or eliminating the possibility of damage to the cargo bed by the passage of water or contaminants between the liner and the cargo bed.
Because some liners extend over the top of the cargo bed's side walls, stake pockets, like tie-down fasteners, become inaccessible when such a liner is used. U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,277 discloses a stake pocket insert to be used with a cargo bed liner providing access to the stake pocket when covered by a cargo bed liner. The stake pocket insert may be used with stake pockets of various sizes and is formed as a pocket so that the insert may serve the same purpose as the original stake pocket. A tie-down fastener may also be provided with the insert. This invention addresses the problem of the inaccessibility of the stake pockets upon installation of a cargo bed liner covering the stake pockets, but does not address the problem of inaccessibility of tie-down fasteners connected to the cargo bed caused by the installation of such a liner over the wall. Generally, these fasteners are located on the cargo bed's side and end walls or at the junction between adjoining walls.
The installation of a cargo bed liner usually requires the use of retainers to connect the liner to the cargo bed so that the liner is held firmly in place. Numerous types of fasteners, including screws and clamps, are used as retainers. Two embodiments of retainers are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,133.
For instances in which tie-down fasteners are provided or are available for installation directly on the cargo bed, because the liner renders these fasteners as inaccessible, the fasteners are not currently utilized to secure the liner to the cargo bed. Rather, retainers as previously discussed are used for this purpose. Just as the stake pocket insert of U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,277 may serve to hold the liner in its desired position relative to the cargo bed, it is desired to reduce manufacturing costs and costs to the consumer for a cargo bed liner by taking advantage of the available tie-down fasteners on the cargo bed to serve as means for securing the liner to the cargo bed, thereby eliminating the need to provide retainers.